Nobu’s Chicken Hekka
My mother-in-law, Nobuyo Hirata Kanda, was known for her Chicken Hekka. Some say it is a Hawaii-only dish, that substitutes chicken in a traditional beef sukiyaki sauce with vegetables. My husband says his mother’s version was tasty because it was sweet. He remembers, during the sugar plantation days, her cooking it at parties. You can use whatever vegetables you have. The recipe in Back in the Day cookbook showcases two kinds of onions, won bok (Napa cabbage), mushrooms, bamboo shoots, watercress and the chewy konnyaku slices and noodles (shirataki). It is a good dish for a crowd. Served with hot, steamed rice to soak up all the sauce.
